Jesus said to him, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest of the Laws. The second is like it, ‘You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ All the Laws and the writings of the early preachers depend on these two most important Laws.”

–Matthew 22:36-40

From Mike George of the Christian Left

“Do you think God supports Republicans wanting to starve millions of poor Americans to death?” – Mike George of The Christian Left.

It’s an interesting question, Mike. For those just joining us, here’s what caused him to ask me this question:

The comment so awful it deserved punishment.

As everyone knows, asking me a question means you’re going to get a truthful answer. I know Mike is ready.

I have a few questions in return:

What does my pointing out you’re joke lacks God’s love have to do with Republicans and starvation? Do you need the Republicans to be demons more than you need Jesus whom you’ve invited into your heart?

Why do you care what people believe when they believe God’s wrath is more powerful than God’s love? Don’t you see they are lost, like we all are, when we deny God’s love?

Forget what God supports, do you really believe that any group of people supports starvation and death in their hearts? Many support nothing more terrible than greed and selfishness.

They are blind to the truth. This blindness is something our culture celebrates. Blindness means we will hurt each other and allow war and violence to continue. This blindness ensures we will seek happiness in stores instead of stories. This blindness keeps us focused on each other as the enemies instead of the systems of organized government, religion, and trade (which we build with the best intentions) so they can be used by a few powerful people to abuse and oppress the rest of us.

People get so wrapped up in the material world, that many politicians, regardless of political party, and political party fans can happily ignore the starvation of millions in the fight to make sure they get what they want before other people get what they need. We’d rather make sure the Super Bowl goes off without a problem than prevent the destruction of our cities. We’re okay with poisoning the ground, the air, our children’s futures, as long as it means we can buy cheaper gas and televisions. Our media profits from selling us hatred and fear, so that’s the ONLY message we get. They leave out the parts were people we easily hate have a humanity.

Can you blame them for getting confused? I got confused for a very long time.

Instead of labeling them as evil and banning anyone who might run the risk of holding compassion for them, I invite you to follow along in this mind exercise.

You deny their humanity by pretending “Republicans” are at the core of ills in the world. You deny them compassion when you pretend they don’t want to make the world better.

Did the Republicans create slavery, prejudice, and poverty? Now I know the Republican party didn’t exist before the 1850s, and I also know all those things existed several thousand years ago. So I know that you know the answer.

The problem is not Republicans, or me, your convenient outlet for your justifiable rage. The problem is humans.

Flawed, weak, mortal humans running around. Each individual human thinks he is more important than all the others. Every human knows deep in their heart that they are right and other people have got it all wrong.

Every human is born being proud and arrogant. We would rather prove that we are right than actually be humble. We would rather not put our weak flesh and blood at risk in order to stand up for God’s uncompromising love. All of us, including politicians, have to compromise to get things done in the real world. The problem is too many of us are willing to compromise God’s love. Since that is impossible, it’s no wonder the world is a mess.

Did you ask your question out of love or anger?

What are you trying to accomplish on this material plane, Mike George? Why do you choose your Facebook Page over God’s love? Where is Christ in your life? How often do you turn the other cheek? How often do you love your enemies? How often do you deny God and let yourself get away with it?

These are more like the questions I wish you’d asked me. Your question has no respect for me, for humans who call themselves Republicans, human beings in general, and most importantly, no respect for what we both know is the only thing God really supports.